I'm surprised there aren't more responses here; it's an interesting topic. Maybe the thread would fit better in Talking Tarot -- just a thought.

Anyway, I like both tarot and playing card cartomancy also. But I think the two systems are suited to different kinds of questions. They even have different styles of answering the same question. I find that the meanings in tarot are more metaphorical and philosophical. In cartomancy, the answers are more direct. For example:

Tarot cards will tell you: You are about to undergo a major transition that will put you on a journey full of mystery, adventure, and struggle. You will meet many deceptive and unreliable persons along the way. Then you will find yourself in a strange situation surrounded by people you have never known before, in a position that you have never been in or imagined before.

Playing cards will tell you: You are going to be fired from your job.

Playing cards tell it like it is, but this is probably because of the meanings attributed to the cards. In tarot the meanings run very deep. There's layer upon layer of innuendo and symbolism. Tarot also has the Major Arcana, which deals with all those Major Issues. There's more court cards too, leaving more room for personality variations. Also, many tarot decks are illustrated, and these pictures can affect the reading as well. Since traditional playing cards don't have pictures, it's not a factor.

I think that tarot and cartomancy serve slightly different purposes, and are each better suited to different kinds of questions. Tarot's mystical meanings makes it well suited for mystical questions, and mystical answers to ordinary questions (although any question can be asked of tarot). Cartomancy with playing cards works better on the issues of everyday life. I find it more limited in what it can do, but also much more clear in the way it speaks.

Thank you for your response! I love the example that you used to explain how questions are answered differently

I was hoping to get a chance to really study playing cards because I had resigned from my job and was going to take some time while on Employment Assistance to just unwind and bounce back from the burn-out I had experienced, then of course, I was offered a great position with an agency (the opportunity completely came out of nowhere), so I am now working again and have less time to spend learning the cards.

I know some people really love reading with playing cards, because they are more direct, but from what I have read and experienced myself, they are more limited in what they can do, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I have also seen that some people who first learned to read Tarot tend to attribute some of the meanings to the playing cards. I am not sure what others think of this- it may inevitable to do so, but it is something I am hoping to steer clear of so as not to mix both methods. It does add depth to the reading, but I think that meanings are associated to playing cards and tarot as separate tools.

Thank you for your response! I love the example that you used to explain how questions are answered differently

I was hoping to get a chance to really study playing cards because I had resigned from my job and was going to take some time while on Employment Assistance to just unwind and bounce back from the burn-out I had experienced, then of course, I was offered a great position with an agency (the opportunity completely came out of nowhere), so I am now working again and have less time to spend learning the cards.

Glad you liked my comments -- and congratulations on the new job. You were quite lucky.

Quote:

I know some people really love reading with playing cards, because they are more direct, but from what I have read and experienced myself, they are more limited in what they can do, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

I have also seen that some people who first learned to read Tarot tend to attribute some of the meanings to the playing cards. I am not sure what others think of this- it may inevitable to do so, but it is something I am hoping to steer clear of so as not to mix both methods. It does add depth to the reading, but I think that meanings are associated to playing cards and tarot as separate tools.

I think that when people use tarot meanings on playing cards it's because people are creatures of habit. It's just a matter of getting used to something new. And I prefer also not to mix methods; mixing would defeat the purpose of using the playing card system in the first place.

One thing I like about cartomancy is that it has a very fortune-tellerish feel to it. I realize that tarot is already pretty fortune-tellerish, but tarot also has a very scholarly side. It has an aristocratic history from its early Italian days, and it has a lot of intellectual esotericists who have incorporated it into their divinatory systems. Sometimes it's used for psychological and therapeutic purposes, too. Playing cards and their reading systems don't have any of this. Cartomancy is something born from the people. It goes along with crystal balls, palm reading, and tea leaves. It makes me want to call myself Madame something or other.

Tarot and playing cards are from different schools of thought. They have similarities, but I get a kick out of the differences.

I love both- and I love the fusion of the two that occurs with use of the Etteilla tarot decks. If you haven't checked them out, you should!

In general- I find that cartomancy is great when I need details, and with questions surrounding family, work, home, love, etc. If I need timing or details, my lenormand comes out.

Tarot, to me, works on a more esoteric level. So the details are not there, but it gives a richness to the patterns behind your thinking/actions. And it is great for more spiritual questions.

The Etteilla deck does both. There are grand tableau spreads you use with the Etteilla tarot, card meanings are changed by surrounding cards, meanings are very similar to the cartomantic meanings- but you have associated majors as well- to add in the spiritual, the alchemical esoteric nuance that is missing from cartomancy decks. I love it- there are a few different "types", but my heart is held by the Grand Etteilla. It is a process to learn how to use it though- so that can be very off-putting. I love it- must have the same wacky though processes as M Alliette.

I first learned to read with an old euchre deck (along with using a pendulum, reading tea leaves, geomancy and aeromancy- thanks to my eastern European grandparents). I also use runes- which takes things to a whole different level. It never fails to amaze me how different each type of divination feels, how it works, how it expresses itself. Tarot came later- but after practice, I familiarized myself with it so that now I am as comfortable with a tarot deck as I am with a deck of cards. My recommendation would be to work with both! Each has its strengths and weaknesses, which is why it is so amazing to learn more than one method- so that you can use the one that most works with the situation at hand.

Ive been doing Tarot for over 25 years and love the depth that it can go, however a lot of times my clients dont want that depth. They want the here and now nitty gritty. They want timing and details. Thats why ive been studying Lenormand and lately playing card styles. I love the Grand Tableu and the detail it provides. There is of course a lot of study that needs to be put into practice to become proficient in any system.

I agree with the Runes too. VERY powerful and too the point tool. I love them. There does come the issue of having enough time in the day to study all these systems and then be able to offer the serviced to clients.

I'm surprised there aren't more responses here; it's an interesting topic. Maybe the thread would fit better in Talking Tarot -- just a thought.

Anyway, I like both tarot and playing card cartomancy also. But I think the two systems are suited to different kinds of questions. They even have different styles of answering the same question. I find that the meanings in tarot are more metaphorical and philosophical. In cartomancy, the answers are more direct. For example:

Tarot cards will tell you: You are about to undergo a major transition that will put you on a journey full of mystery, adventure, and struggle. You will meet many deceptive and unreliable persons along the way. Then you will find yourself in a strange situation surrounded by people you have never known before, in a position that you have never been in or imagined before.

Playing cards will tell you: You are going to be fired from your job.

Playing cards tell it like it is, but this is probably because of the meanings attributed to the cards. In tarot the meanings run very deep. There's layer upon layer of innuendo and symbolism. Tarot also has the Major Arcana, which deals with all those Major Issues. There's more court cards too, leaving more room for personality variations. Also, many tarot decks are illustrated, and these pictures can affect the reading as well. Since traditional playing cards don't have pictures, it's not a factor.

I think that tarot and cartomancy serve slightly different purposes, and are each better suited to different kinds of questions. Tarot's mystical meanings makes it well suited for mystical questions, and mystical answers to ordinary questions (although any question can be asked of tarot). Cartomancy with playing cards works better on the issues of everyday life. I find it more limited in what it can do, but also much more clear in the way it speaks.

I love how you have put this, I was trained in tarot by my teacher however I am looking for a more practical use closer to the nest as my teacher was gypsy she taught me tarot her personal favorite. Anyways this helps a lot actually I think it takes more skills to learn cartomancy as one needs to know how to integrate, numerology basic symbolism, combinations and spreads, I am learning how but need help as I am done with training and am now setting off on my new path to build on my own skills as I set off to further my divination skills and knowledge. I was actually thinking of making a custom deck by taking one of my old decks and only placing the suites aces-kings to mimic a playing card deck with tarot cards. Would this work has anyone else tried this before?

Hi Cancer69. I'm glad you enjoyed my ramblings. And thanks for waking up this thread. It's an interesting topic.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cancer69

I was actually thinking of making a custom deck by taking one of my old decks and only placing the suites aces-kings to mimic a playing card deck with tarot cards. Would this work has anyone else tried this before?

I haven't done this but I can see where it would work nicely. But I think it would work best with a deck that has non-illustrated pips. A Marseille deck seems ideal. But any other deck with non-illustrated pips is also good.

If a deck has illustrated minors, they'd still be bound to the tarot meanings. So it would still end up being tarot. When you don't have the illustrations, you can use any cartomantic system you like. I'm a big fan of the Hedgewytchery system myself.